Journal box



Dec. 7, 1943. P. J. HOGAN 2,335,940

JOURNAL BOX Filed Jan. 24, 1941 &

Patented Dec. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL BOX Patrick J. Hogan, New Haven, Conn.

Application January 24, 1941, Serial No. 375,732

4 Claims.

My invention rel-ates to journal means for railway vehicles and more particularly to a novel form of journal box designed especially to retard rolling of waste which is carried in the bottom portion of the box and which lubricates the rotating journal end of an associated wheel and axle assembly.

In the usual form of journal connection between a railway wheel and axle assembly and the supported truck frame a bearing block is seated on the journal end of the axle within the journal box and lubricating means in the form of waste is packed into the bottom of the journal box for wiping contact with the journal end. As the axle rotates, a rolling motion is imparted to the waste, and, as a result of said motion, the waste may be introduced between the bearing block and the journal end to cause a condition generally known as a hot box.

A general object of my invention is to design a journal box wherein rolling of the waste is retarded so that the possibility of waste creeping between the bearing block and journal end is reduced to a minimum while, at the same time, lubricating contact is maintained.

Another object of my invention includes designing a journal box having an upper portion of normal width as in standard journal boxes, and a lower portion of relatively great width, the juncture of said upper and lower portions forming a horizontal longitudinally extending shelf or ledge which acts to retard the rolling motion of the waste.

A further object of my invention is to design a journal box having the bottom portion formed with a relatively greater cross sectional area as compared with the upper portion and presenting an enlarged cavity for containing the waste, the configuration of the bottom portion being designed to reduce undesirable movement of the waste. In the preferred embodiment, the journal box is afforded a flat bottom wall.

A further object of my invention is to incorporate the above features in a journal box which may be constructed in accordance with usual and convenient foundry practice.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be readily apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a front view of one embodiment of my novel journal box, and Figures 1A and 1B are sectional views taken in the respective planes indicated by the lines lA-lA and IB-IB of Figure 1.

Figure 2 is a top lan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view in a transverse vertical plane substantially as indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially in a vertical plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figures 5, 6 and '7 are fragmentary sectional views taken in substantially the same planes as that of Figure 4 and show different modifications of the lower portion of my novel journal box.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional View taken in substantially the same plane as that indicated by the line i4, and shows a different modification of my novel waste retarding ledge.

My novel journal box generally indicated at 2 -is shown integrally cast with a truss type side frame of usual form having a top compression member 4 forming a box-section over said journal box and cored as at 6. The journal box 2 comprises a top wall 8, a flat bottom wall l0, and side walls l2, I2 of a form hereinafter more particularly described. At the forward end of said box is formed the usual opening I4 defined by said top, bottom, and side walls, and on said top wall is formed the lug l6 affording a hinged connection as at [8 for a cover plate (not shown) fitted over said opening M. At the rear of said box is formed the usual dust guard portion comprising a vertical wall 20 and a rearwardly spaced wall 22 defining a slot 24 for the dust guard. Said walls 20 and 22 are afforded respective openings 26 and 28 through which may extend a journal end (not shown) of an associated axle for accommodation within said box. A bearing block (not shown) which is seated upon the journal end may be retained in position in usual manner by a retaining lug 30 on each side wall and by stops 32, 32 on the top wall 8 adjacent to the opening I4.

The side walls l2, l2 include upper portions 34, 34 spaced apart a normal width as in standard journal boxes and lower portions 36, 36 spaced apart a relatively great width as compared with the upper portions. The upper portion and lower portion of each side wall merge slightly below the axially center line of an associated axle assembly in a horizontal transverse web 38 extending along the side wall for a major portion of the length of said journal box to form inside said box a waste retaining ledge or shelf 40. The widened lower portion of said journal box forms cavities at opposite sides thereof for reception of waste, said cavities being defined at their inboard ends by the wall 20 and at their outboard ends by respective transverse vertical walls 42, 42, the edges of which extend downwardly from inner surfaces on the upper portions 34, 34 in arcuate form as at 44, 44 to terminate in said bottom wall at approximately the longitudinal center line thereof.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that waste packed in the relatively wide lower portion of said box will be restrained against rolling by the ledges 4D, 46.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 are shown different modifications of the construction of the bottom wall of my novel journal box. In Figure the bottom wall 50 is constructed of slightly arcuate form and in Figure 6 the bottom wall 52 is formed along diagonal planes extending slightly upward from the longitudinal center line of the bottom wall. As shown in Figure 7, I may also form a bottom wall 54 of my novel journal box along a radius extending approximately from the longitudinal center line of the bottom wall to the outer portion of ledge 56.

In Figure 8 is shown a different modification of the waste retaining ledge. In this modification, the upper portions 58 of each side wall may merge with the lower portion 60 in a longitudinally extending web 52 which may be formed with a downwardly directed beaded portion 64 defining with the lower portion 69 a channel 56. The juncture of the upper portion 58 with the lower portion Ell may be reinforced by a rib 58. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the ledge formed by said beaded portion 64 will serve to retard and reduce to a minimum rolling of the waste in similar manner as the ledge 48 in the previous modification.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a journal box, top and bottom and spaced side walls, said side walls comprising upper portions spaced apart a normal width as in standard journal boxes, and lower portions spaced apart a relatively great width as compared with the upper portions, the upper and lower portion of each side wall merging slightly below the axial center line of an associated wheel and axle assembly in a horizontal transverse webi extending along said side wall for a major portion of the length thereof to form inside said box a waste retaining ledge for retarding upward movement of waste within said box during rotation of said assembly.

2. In a journal box for a wheel and axle assembly, top and bottom and spaced side walls, said side Walls comprising upper portions spaced apart a normal width as in standard journal boxes, and lower portions spaced apart a relatively great width as compared with the upper portions, the upper and lower portion of each side wall merging in a horizontal transverse web extending along said side wall for a major portion of the length thereof to form inside said box a waste retaining ledge for retarding upward movement of waste within said box during rotation of said assembly.

3. In a journal box for a wheel and axle as-,

sembly, top and bottom and spaced side walls, said side walls comprising upper portions spaced apart a normal width as in standard journal boxes, and lower portions spaced apart a relatively great width as compared with the upper portions, the upper and lower portion of each side Wall merging in a transverse web extending along said side wall to form inside said box a waste retaining ledge for retarding upward movement of waste within said box during rotation of said assembly.

4. In a journal box, top and bottom and spaced side walls, said side walls comprising upper portions spaced apart a normal width as in standard journal boxes, and lower portions spaced apart a relatively great width as compared with the upper portions, the upper and lower portion of each side wall merging in a transverse web extending horizontally along said side wall to form inside said box a waste retaining ledge, said bottom wall, outboardly of said webs, extending arcuately upwardly at opposite sides thereof to merge with said upper portions, and each of said lower portions merging with the adjacent arcuate portion of said bottom wall in a substantially vertical web for retarding outboard movement of waste within said box.

PATRICK J. HOGAN. 

